Bold prints, elongated silhouettes and instant readability marked the vibrant and wearable collection Fausto Puglisi conjured for Roberto Cavalli for pre-fall 2024.
Reaffirming his commitment to cater to multiple generations of women with his own take on Cavalli’s glam and sexy codes, the Sicilian designer embraced different shapes — ranging from billowing shirtdresses and caftans to tailoring — that equally channeled the house’s signature fierceness and spontaneous spirit.
Puglisi particularly looked at far-flung landscapes, from the Argentinian pampas to the Arizona desert, to offer appealing alternatives to the brand’s well-known tiger, leopard and zebra prints. Cue an Appaloosa horse motif marking the first part of the collection and splashed over everything from flowing chiffon frocks and roomy overalls to oversize puffer jackets.
While an optical pattern evoking shark skin’s spots was pulled straight from the archives, Puglisi introduced a new malachite-inspired motif as well as a bandana-like graphic rendered in different colorways, including an eye-catching version combining blue, red and white hues.
“Roberto [Cavalli] loved to travel and take pictures not only of animals but also of stones and water landscapes,” Puglisi said about the former print, which was deployed in sensual velvet devoré slipdresses and sharp sartorial suits alike.
What stood out even more than the zesty patterns was Puglisi’s focus on clean, simple lines and an overall sense of ease, which resulted in a collection of city looks with an exotic spin and unfussy pieces “you can throw in a suitcase and carry everywhere.”
These included bias-cut silk dresses that could be nonchalantly worn off a shoulder, while fringed leather separates and sizzling sequined numbers also upped the glamour quotient. Mexican-inspired embroideries elevated blazer jackets, skirts and flared pants without even the need to reference the brand’s wild ethos and look-at-me patterns literally.